


Name Me, Claim Me, Hold Me In Your Heart

by wesawbears



Category: Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-15
Updated: 2018-11-15
Packaged: 2019-08-24 03:15:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 849
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16631849
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wesawbears/pseuds/wesawbears
Summary: Robb calls Theon sweetheart as a joke and it becomes a Thing. They don't realize for a while that it was never a joke, not really. Aka modern AU with lots of pining and sarcastic idiots.





	Name Me, Claim Me, Hold Me In Your Heart

It starts as an entirely offhand comment. Theon comes home with Robb after school more days than not, since Yara spends most of her time away from home now and he’s not exactly keen to spend time with his father if he can help it. And while Robb’s parents can’t stand Balon Greyjoy, they won’t deny his son a seat at their table if it makes Robb happy.

The two of them are in his room playing video games, nudging each other and trash talking the way 14 year olds do. Robb’s character gets an opportunity to dash ahead, leaving Theon’s character defenseless. 

“Stark, I swear to God…”

He isn’t able to finish that threat before Robb’s taken out the enemies ahead of them, unwittingly saving Theon’s ass. He grins and before he can think about what he’s saying, Robb goes, “Worried I would leave you behind, sweetheart?”

It’s a joke. It’s so obviously a joke. But Theon still can’t help the lurch in his stomach, the way Robb calling him that feels right. He can tell Robb’s realized it too, which should terrify him, but Theon is nothing if not spectacular at deflecting when things get too serious. Thankfully, the awkwardness of the situation is avoided by Robb’s mother calling them down for dinner. 

He resolutely ignores Robb’s eyes on him as they leave the room.

\--

Theon should have known better than to think that Robb would let it go. He was stubborn as all hell when something caught his notice and Theon’s reaction certainly had. From then on, it becomes a mainstay for them, so long as no one else is around (which should have been the first clue). From teasing when Theon is in a good mood, to serious and soft when he’s climbing through Robb’s window when his dad becomes unbearable, “sweetheart” comes easier from Robb’s tongue than his name at this point.

By the time they go away to university (together, which was the second clue), they’ve accepted it as an inside joke, a little quirk. They go to a party one night and Robb’s tipsy. Theon’s well past that and Robb’s hands itch to place themselves on the small of Theon’s back, but he still has enough of his wits about him to know that isn’t a wise idea.

He’s getting ready to ask Theon if he’s ready to leave when he sees a guy tap him on the shoulder. There’s something immediately unsettling about the guy, so much so that Robb steps forward so he can hear what’s being said. 

The guy leans in and says, “You look like you’re itching to leave here with someone, huh, sweetheart?”

That manages to cut through the alcohol-induced fog enough to have Robb moving. This time, though, he doesn’t resist the urge to put his hand on Theon’s back, drawing him closer and away from the guy.

“Already leaving with someone. Sorry.” His smile is that of a wolf baring his teeth.

Theon looks up at him confused, but not resisting. Robb figures he’ll deal with that later, when Theon’s safe. No doubt he’ll be pissed for this later, but right now Robb can’t find it in himself to care.

The guy gets a look on his face like he’s going to put up a fight, but apparently thinks better of it and leaves with a scoff.

“Robb?” Theon asks once he’s gone, but he’s slurring and Robb is not about to have this conversation when neither of them are sober. So he takes Theon back to their dorm room and gets him into bed like he’s done dozens of time and pretends not to see the look of longing Theon sends him before he turns the lights out.

\--

In the morning, Robb wakes to a groan from the other bed and chuckles to himself. “How you feeling, sweetheart?” he calls in the most saccharine voice he can muster. Robb is annoyingly immune to hangovers.

“Fuck off,” comes the answer from Theon, who has his head firmly shoved under his pillow.

“We’re not at home you know,” Robb continues, “You have to get up if you want coffee.”

Theon sits up and rakes a hand through his hair. “I gotta go smoke anyway. Jackass.”

Robb chuckles and the conversation drops off a bit after that. When it gets to be too much, he breaks it. “Theon...about yesterday…”

“Are we talking about your damn knight act?” Theon asks with an eyebrow raised. 

Robb rubs the back of his neck. “If I overstepped…”

Theon rolls his eyes. “You didn’t, dumbass. Don’t go all noble for my sake.”

“So you didn’t want to go home with that guy...right?”

Theon snorts. “Of course not. He looked like a creep.”

Robb takes a deep breath. “...is that the only reason?”

Theon leans back against the wall and looks at him like he’s the dumbest human alive, but there’s also an overwhelming sense of fondness. “How about you get over here and let me show you the other reason, sweetheart.”

Robb is over there before Theon can finish laughing.


End file.
